SESSION 263: Problems, Plotting, Politicking & Potioning
When is a gate not a gate? When it’s a gate. Things improved after this.
Day 210 Continued III (13.21 Orcs): The gate was another problem to solve. It was binding something. Looking from the outside we did not see the village but a strangely organic passage. After a few attempts to make it go away and then figure out that it was indeed very likely a living thing that would not just move along.
Carla and Nara conferred until they reached a conclusion, a ritual of unbinding would be required. This was something Nara was familiar with being a Carcosan native. They probably required a sagely type. Carla knew this was not going to be easy at least the thing seemed incapable of going anywhere. Lester broke the conference and reminded of the other gateway within the Blinded clan complex. Carla liked this problem a bit more as she could do something about it, “We will ward the passage to the surface with protective glyphs against evil”. The paladin thought this was suitable. They made their way back to the tunnel and put the protections into place. “All right let us get out of here”.
The weather was favourable for the trip back to the camp. As they approached the treeline and final quarter mile to the camp a red stain on the snow was observed a few hundred yards to the west. Checking it out it was the mutilated remains of a giant elk. All the good parts were had been eaten. The mess was partially frozen suggesting it was relatively fresh. Around the remains were strange tracks, a pair of feline like and a pair of hooved with no entry line. They were perplexed for a moment. Until they recollected the chimera within the floating rock dungeon. Somewhere near the beast likely laired but today would not be the day to find it. They double timed it back to camp. The guards mentioned that there was noise during the evening. This was noted and it was decided to put extra hobos on each watch overnight.
Day 211 (13.20/0608 CampàCaravanserai): Clear and cold. The night had passed quietly. Camp was torn down quickly and the horde made their way back to the caravanserai. The travel was greatly slowed by the carts fighting through the snow and slipping on the hills. They would not be dragging carts around the wilderness until Spring returns.
Day 212 (Caravanserai): Carla called down the holy light of TMB to shine on Biff once more. He gasped a breath and then screamed in pain as the cleric changed her chant to seal the grievous wounds that once more sprayed fluid. Moments later the wounds were closed, leaving a wicked scar across the horks body. He lost most of a tusk and a chasm-like scar across his face showed the apex of the orc warlord’s sword arc.
Day 213 (Caravanserai): Carla needed some rest after the strain of raising Biff from the dead. They were going to plan things today. That plan of plans was blown off target when Biff learned that he would be left with Felix to recuperate. “No fucking way! That nerd drives me nuts. Kill me again!”. Biff was not going to let up. A stretcher was prepared to hang between two horses. Biff would convalesce in Gormandia. Felix went into a monologue nevertheless. It was not done as they rode off.
Day 214 (Caravanserai à Gormandia): The day started with moderate snow. It lasted until the team reached Gormandia. Steve came out to greet the group giving Biff the gears, “Ah come on bro. Fight. Die. Rise. Fight again. We are MurderHobos!”.
“Sure are pal".
"We will set you up with Bimbles in front of the fire with a frosty keg”.
The gang used the rest of the day to get back to planning stuff.
Day 215 (Gormandia): Heavy snow and freezing rain delayed the trip to Liwil.
Day 216 (Gormandia à Liwil):
Day 217 (Liwil): Bunny and Carla paid a visit to the knights today to have a long delayed conversation. They met once more with Baldicar and Anven. Being both alert and intelligent Anven sensed the topic of the meeting and set the board.
“We are a monastic order, first and foremost. We were never meant to be governing people. A task we have never wanted. The population has been growing and our numbers, constantly stretched too thin, are needed to protect our home region and increasingly to the south as more miners arrive and forgotten or underserved trade routes regain life. Even though you have reduced the pressures from the north the incursions of Chaos are still unabated and even growing where the lands remain wild and ungoverned. The Darkwoods awaken and expel a black breath across the lands. Lawlessness, as you know, perhaps launching from Sin threatens our fragile order. We must regrow our order and need the tools to do such.
This would require a stipend”.
“Ah. Yup. That is what brought us here today. I guess we don’t really need to convince you of much…”, Bunny relieved that she did not have to use the negotiation directions given to her by Ding-We.
Carla stepped up to finish things, “We are in agreement. For the greater good your order will join us in our quest to tame these lands once more. Further we will support both the maintenance and growth of the Order of the Basilisk to its former glory”.
Baldicar closed the agreement before his daughter went in further, “Consider us your allies. Hewtim will provide you with the accounting. Wei Fan will be disappointed mostly because his lady will be irate but these lands are returning to man. It is best that we largely live in our own worlds. Hail Gormandia!”. Anven did understand this sentiment but could not quite get to open agreement yet. They then all shared a glass of distilled basilisk blood to bind the agreement. “Hewtim will present the wizard with the ledger in the coming days. Long live the New Empire”, Baldicar bowed to the ladies as they made their egress. Anven curtsied as she warmed to the proposition of being a knight captain and not a settler of squabbles.
Carla wanted to now actually assess the shanty town outside the stronghold walls. Bunny was not totally keen on this as she had dressed her part as a Lady for the meeting. They made their way to the drinking shack within the camp. There was a lively discussion between the keeper and a couple of patrons. It quieted down when Bunny and Carla rolled in, “Hello friends please don’t let us interrupt”. “Who are you fancies?” “We are those whom tame these lands” “I didn’t vote for you”. After some back and forth the conversation resumed. The topic was that of murder. The day hence a body had been found with a boulder where once was a head. This put a fear into a the large dimwit Dod until the healer Chloe Lange was forced to console him. The barman was Cen Saard and his son Con was security and the short order cook. A couple of miners sat in the back quietly listening. Another, Nea Wald had a lot to say about stuff. Nea was one of the founders of the mining village after leaving Dry Gulch after two decades of working a claim to the north, “I should be a rich man.. ah but sometimes we make decisions that don’t pan out. But I have another chance more gold in the hills to south. I will get rich this time I tell ya!”. The girls stepped up to let these crusty miners know of the land of new opportunities to be found for folks just to the north, “We need families and we need miners. We have a growing army to protect you and resources that stand idle in need of pick and shovel”. “Ah ya can’t get rich working for someone else”, came from Nea. “But you could be comfortable and safe, especially if you were a boss”, replied Bunny. They ended up convincing Nea to find five good hands and join the team. They also hooked the healer into informing the families that a better life could be found in Gormandia proper.
The sun was now setting time for dinner and chit chat with the wizards. Hewtim was awaiting their arrival and brought his bottle and ledger to the table once all had arrived. He calculated the stipend to be 1,000 gold coins or equivalent per month would be sufficient for the Order of the Basilisk until such a time as the order exceeded a twenty percent increase in size. Ding-We had the look of someone chomping to negotiate until Carla kicked him, “The deal is done”. Dinner was fine and so was the snow that came down just beyond the walls of the Knight & Stone tavern.
Day 218 (Liwil àGormandia): Clear and cold. The plan was to return to expanding the empire but first they would pay another visit to the dryad. It seems that during their brief interaction over the last couple of days Ding-We put some sort of plan in Bunny’s head.. Elsael was home and talkative. Bunny asked how one could get a dryad to move into Gormandia once more. Elsael explained that things did not really worked that way and then echoed Baldicar’s words that it is often best that man and the Fair folk live in separate worlds but there were most certainly exceptions. Saff farted her agreement. They then rode on arriving once more at Gormandia as night fell.
Day 219 (Gormandia à Blind Basilisk Barracksà15.21/0307): Clear the ride to the barracks took just over two hours due to the snow. After a quick break the exploration group departed to begin the monster eviction process of the neighbouring hex.
However, before that happens we must find out what Ding-We saw in his Palantir….
The C-Team: Carla, Bunny, Saffron, Charles, Dolec, Nara, Lester
ROLECALL
Carla the Green High Priestess of TMB (C10) 354214 xp +10% <400001> CRT 1d12/III
Scars: permanent loss left index finger and scarring on arm
Bimbles the High Priest of GSS (C10) 318111 xp +5% <400001> CRT 1d12/III
+2 save to poison and internal body things; Double eat (gotta feed my baybay)
Hobo Steve the Lord (F9) 326064 xp +5% <360,001> CRT 1d24/V
Brain Damaged: reduced mental capacity (tough night on the town)
Rahgnar the Dwarven Superhero (D8) 233287 xp <280001> CRT 1d20/IV
Serious wound: permanent loss of an eye (-1 to missile fire)
Critical Wound: disembowelled less able to process poison (-1 penalty)
Missing thirteen teeth
Raul the Voyager (MD9) 263068 xp +10% <360000> CRT 1d12/III
Fezzi-Gig (Neut: XXXX) Sword
Serious wound: permanent loss of CHA -4,
Removed one of his own nostrils.
Boris the Dwarven Lord (D9) 364963 xp +10% <400001> CRT 1d20/IV
Serious wound: permanent loss of CHA -3, carved up face
Wound: Bad leg (-5’ MV)
Multiple Injuries: lost 25 teeth (7 remaining), drools a lot CHA -1
Serious Injury: Brain Drain -2 INT
Serious wound: permanent loss of an eye (-1 to missile fire)
Ding-We the Peg-Legged Wizard (W10) 515312 xp +10% <620001> CRT 1d10/I
Critical Wound: Left leg obliterated, runs at ½ rate (peg required)
Bunny the Thief! (T10) 309721 xp <400001> +10% CRT 1d24/II
Light wound: permanent loss of pinky finger, off hand
Ramrod the Cloned Magsman (T9) 172144 xp +5% <280001> CRT 1d20/II
Serious wound: Bad Back (-1 stone CC)
Scars: Neurological damage to hip, noticeable limp (-5’ mve)
Missing eight teeth talks with a lisp
The Henchmen
Saffron the Mad Fairy Queen of Ribbits (FY7) 196882 xp <200001> CRT 1d10/III
Moderate wound: Scar on abdomen
Lasting injury: -1 STR, mashed guts
Sloth the Bopper (L7) 177435 xp +10% <178800> CRT 1d20/IV or 1d6/G (vs. s, m)
Missing ten teeth
Nara the Nearly Naked Purple Swami Girl (PS7) 111411 xp +5% <125000> CRT 1d16/II
Wraith Drained: -1 CON
Biff Bartley the Half-Orc Blackguard (HO7) 102620 <120000> +5% CRT 1d12/II
Sasha Plasha the Warden (R7) 123264 xp +10% <200000> CRT 1d10/III
‘BOB’ the Deadly Shade (N7) 64817 <90000> +5% CRT 1d16/II
Felix Ignatius Hemlock the once skeletal Sleuth (I7) 47017 <80001> +5% CRT 1d16/II
Mason the Lama of Yrrrg. (C7) 78549 <100001> CRT 1d10/III
Charles in Charge the Myrmidon (F6) 85178 <120000> +10% CRT 1d20/IV
Franz the Grave Return (Lawful; XXXX) Sword
Critical Wound: Punctured lung (-2 CON)
Mostly DEAD. (-1 CON)
Gurn Hammerhand the Dwarven Swashbuckler (D5) 27952 <36000> +5% CRT 1d12/III
Wendul the Magician (W6) 49700 <80000> 5% CRT 1d8/I
Dolec Da the Champion (F7) 69998 xp +10% <120000> CRT 1d20/IV
Missing five teeth
Camillus the Myrmidon (F6) 52881 <64001> +5% CRT 1d20/IV
Willy the Reformed Burglar (T6) 28088 <40000>10% CRT 1d14/II
Agolloch the Eye of Purity (Lawful; XXXX) Sword
Chung-Li the Myrmidon Warlock (E6) 103411 xp <120000> +10% CRT 1d8/II
Captain Alamend Strender the Swashbuckler (F6) 37745 <64000> +5% CRT 1d16/IV
Lester Flanders the Guardian of Oceana (P6) 47258 xp <95000> +5% CRT 1d16/IV
Ike the Duck (DF6) – AVATAR form.
Katre Elf-Girl and Swordsman Conjuror (E3) 8141 xp <16000> +0% CRT 1d8/II
Brett & Jermaine Kobold Cooks & Eavesdroppers Extraordinaire
RESERVES
BoB, Rhags & Alamender are lawn ornament for the Basilisk Knights.
Chung Li needs 12 weeks (74 days) and a stack of coin to rewrite his lost spell book.
Elapsed: 53 days (from A-Team calendar) -INTERRUPTED-
Elapsed Campaign Time
648 (633) days at beginning of session (also applies to recuperation)
Join us for session Two-Hundred-and-Sixty-Four when we ask the questions:
What are the B-Team doing?
What did Ding-We see?
Will we pull off a time paradox and if so how the hell would we fix it?
Tale of the Tape
Biff recovering post death (2 weeks): Elapsed 6
Potion Brewing 42 days (started Day 194): Elapsed 15
KILLS
none
LOOT
none
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